Community/Recap/S2/E11 Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas: Difference between revisions

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[[File:abeds_uncontrollable_christmas_9929.jpg|frame|<small>From left to right: Teddy Pierce, Baby Doll Shirley, Troy Soldier, Abed, Christmas Wizard Duncan, Ballerannie, Britta-Bot, and Jeff-in-the-Box.</small> ]]
[[File:abeds_uncontrollable_christmas_9929.jpg|frame|<small>From left to right: Teddy Pierce, Baby Doll Shirley, Troy Soldier, Abed, Christmas Wizard Duncan, Ballerannie, Britta-Bot, and Jeff-in-the-Box.</small> ]]


{{quote|"''Fair warning, guys. A journey through Winter Wonderland tends to test your commitment to Christmas. So when I say test, I mean [[Charlie and The Chocolate Factory|Wonka]]-style. I'm talking dark. My advice: Stay honest, stay alert, and for the love of God, stay between the gumdrops.''"|'''Abed'''}}
{{quote|"''Fair warning, guys. A journey through Winter Wonderland tends to test your commitment to Christmas. So when I say test, I mean [[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory|Wonka]]-style. I'm talking dark. My advice: Stay honest, stay alert, and for the love of God, stay between the gumdrops.''"|'''Abed'''}}


It's Christmas time again for the study group when Abed announces that everything's in [[Stop Motion]] animation. The group, suitably worried, take Abed to Professor Duncan for therapy. Though Abed at first rejects this, he's tricked into going to the study room for a group therapy session...which he immediately turns into a magical trip through the mind, Willy Wonka-style.
It's Christmas time again for the study group when Abed announces that everything's in [[Stop Motion]] animation. The group, suitably worried, take Abed to Professor Duncan for therapy. Though Abed at first rejects this, he's tricked into going to the study room for a group therapy session...which he immediately turns into a magical trip through the mind, Willy Wonka-style.
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=== The ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'' episode "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" contains examples of: ===
=== The ''[[Community]]'' episode "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" contains examples of: ===


* [[Affectionate Parody]]: Of the [[Rankin/Bass Productions|Rankin/Bass]] stop-motion Christmas specials, but especially [[Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer]].
* [[Affectionate Parody]]: Of the [[Rankin/Bass Productions|Rankin/Bass]] stop-motion Christmas specials, but especially [[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer]].
* [[Alas, Poor Villain]]: {{spoiler|Professor Duncan and Britta. Especially Britta, as she honestly did try to help Abed}}.
* [[Alas, Poor Villain]]: {{spoiler|Professor Duncan and Britta. Especially Britta, as she honestly did try to help Abed}}.
* [[All There in the Manual]]: [http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/12/08/dan-harmon-community-christmas-episode/ This interview] with Dan Harmon (warning: spoilers for upcoming episodes) explains the reasons why Abed chose those toys to represent his friends:
* [[All There in the Manual]]: [http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/12/08/dan-harmon-community-christmas-episode/ This interview] with Dan Harmon (warning: spoilers for upcoming episodes) explains the reasons why Abed chose those toys to represent his friends:
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* [[Break the Haughty]]: Abed does this to Duncan, making him relive his tenth Christmas with his dad nowhere to be found.
* [[Break the Haughty]]: Abed does this to Duncan, making him relive his tenth Christmas with his dad nowhere to be found.
** [[Break the Cutie]]: {{spoiler|Duncan later does it to Abed, using his mother's absence.}}
** [[Break the Cutie]]: {{spoiler|Duncan later does it to Abed, using his mother's absence.}}
* [[Call Back]]: This episode isn't the first time that [[Community (TV)/Recap/S1 E04 Social Psychology|Abed has managed to turn one of Professor Duncan's rather self-serving psychological experiments back on him.]]
* [[Call Back]]: This episode isn't the first time that [[Community/Recap/S1 E04 Social Psychology|Abed has managed to turn one of Professor Duncan's rather self-serving psychological experiments back on him.]]
* [[The Cast Showoff]]: Somewhat averted; Alison Brie, who sings a bit in real life, was asked to tone down her performances because people would find it unrealistic that Annie is a good singer. Played straight with Yvette Nicole Brown, who belts her section of the song.
* [[The Cast Showoff]]: Somewhat averted; Alison Brie, who sings a bit in real life, was asked to tone down her performances because people would find it unrealistic that Annie is a good singer. Played straight with Yvette Nicole Brown, who belts her section of the song.
* [[Christmas Episode]]
* [[Christmas Episode]]
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{{quote| '''Britta-Bot:''' If ''only'' he could find the power to not be a smug douche.}}
{{quote| '''Britta-Bot:''' If ''only'' he could find the power to not be a smug douche.}}
* [[Deconstruction]]:
* [[Deconstruction]]:
** Deconstructs Abed's [[Genre Savvy|Genre Savviness]] and [[Leaning On the Fourth Wall]]. In this episode, he breaks the fourth wall...and all his friends worry about his sanity.
** Deconstructs Abed's [[Genre Savvy|Genre Savviness]] and [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall]]. In this episode, he breaks the fourth wall...and all his friends worry about his sanity.
** It also deconstructs the "true meaning of Christmas" by saying that the true meaning is that Christmas has whatever meaning we impose on it - thus meaning there is no "true" meaning.
** It also deconstructs the "true meaning of Christmas" by saying that the true meaning is that Christmas has whatever meaning we impose on it - thus meaning there is no "true" meaning.
* [[Designated Villain]]: Britta mostly, but Duncan too. Granted, he was trying to help Abed for his own purposes, but he ''was'' trying to help him. And what Abed was doing ''isn't'' healthy.
* [[Designated Villain]]: Britta mostly, but Duncan too. Granted, he was trying to help Abed for his own purposes, but he ''was'' trying to help him. And what Abed was doing ''isn't'' healthy.
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* [[Disappeared Dad]]: Apparently, Professor Duncan had one.
* [[Disappeared Dad]]: Apparently, Professor Duncan had one.
* [[Dwindling Party]]: Only {{spoiler|Pierce}} manages to make the trip with Abed to the North Pole. [[Battle Royale With Cheese|Everyone]] comes back in the end though.
* [[Dwindling Party]]: Only {{spoiler|Pierce}} manages to make the trip with Abed to the North Pole. [[Battle Royale With Cheese|Everyone]] comes back in the end though.
* [[Everything's Better With Dinosaurs]]: Christmas pterodactyl! And even better, an ''[[Stuff Blowing Up|exploding]]'' Christmas pterodactyl.
* [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs]]: Christmas pterodactyl! And even better, an ''[[Stuff Blowing Up|exploding]]'' Christmas pterodactyl.
* [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin]]: "Sad quick Christmas song..."
* [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]: "Sad quick Christmas song..."
* [[Food Porn]]: [[The Tag]] involves Troy imposing stop-motion on reality again for the sake of delicious-looking fake food.
* [[Food Porn]]: [[The Tag]] involves Troy imposing stop-motion on reality again for the sake of delicious-looking fake food.
* [[Fridge Brilliance]]: A stop-motion episode, co-written by [[Moral Orel (Animation)|Dino Stamatopoulos]].
* [[Fridge Brilliance]]: A stop-motion episode, co-written by [[Moral Orel|Dino Stamatopoulos]].
** The episode's last scene shows the group watching a Christmas special on TV. In the final shot, the screen on the set goes blank and we briefly see a reflection of the characters in live-action form, signifying that Abed's breakdown has finally ended.
** The episode's last scene shows the group watching a Christmas special on TV. In the final shot, the screen on the set goes blank and we briefly see a reflection of the characters in live-action form, signifying that Abed's breakdown has finally ended.
* [[Funny Background Event]]: As Dean and Duncan drink together, the gang breaks into the holiday-zone and steals the tree. Then Shirley comes back and takes the menorah.
* [[Funny Background Event]]: As Dean and Duncan drink together, the gang breaks into the holiday-zone and steals the tree. Then Shirley comes back and takes the menorah.
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* [[Jerkass]]: Duncan is less interested in helping Abed than in getting a paper published on his delusions, making the enabling of Abed's delusions less worrisome and more heartening instead. And towards the end of the episode, even these self-interested-yet-mildly-benevolent intentions appear to be replaced by simple spite towards Abed {{spoiler|for reminding Duncan how crummy his own Christmases were as a kid}}.
* [[Jerkass]]: Duncan is less interested in helping Abed than in getting a paper published on his delusions, making the enabling of Abed's delusions less worrisome and more heartening instead. And towards the end of the episode, even these self-interested-yet-mildly-benevolent intentions appear to be replaced by simple spite towards Abed {{spoiler|for reminding Duncan how crummy his own Christmases were as a kid}}.
** [[Jerkass Woobie]]: He becomes a lot more sympathetic once we see how unhappy his own Christmas' were after his dad left.
** [[Jerkass Woobie]]: He becomes a lot more sympathetic once we see how unhappy his own Christmas' were after his dad left.
* [[Matryoshka Object]]: A gift labeled "Meaning of Christmas" has two nested boxes inside. Inside the last one is a DVD of ''[[Lost (TV)|Lost]]'', which represents "lack of payoff".
* [[Matryoshka Object]]: A gift labeled "Meaning of Christmas" has two nested boxes inside. Inside the last one is a DVD of ''[[Lost]]'', which represents "lack of payoff".
* [[Medium Awareness]]:
* [[Medium Awareness]]:
** Abed sees that they are all in stop motion. Nobody else does - until the end credits, when {{spoiler|Troy}}goes into it.
** Abed sees that they are all in stop motion. Nobody else does - until the end credits, when {{spoiler|Troy}}goes into it.
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* [[Missing Mom]]: The reason that Abed's trying to find the meaning of Christmas.
* [[Missing Mom]]: The reason that Abed's trying to find the meaning of Christmas.
* [[Musical Episode]]: Abed breaks into song several times. The entire gang gets in on it by the end. Reluctantly.
* [[Musical Episode]]: Abed breaks into song several times. The entire gang gets in on it by the end. Reluctantly.
* [[New Powers As the Plot Demands]]: Or rather, as Duncan's controlling of Abed's hypnotherapy session demands:
* [[New Powers as the Plot Demands]]: Or rather, as Duncan's controlling of Abed's hypnotherapy session demands:
{{quote| '''Abed:''' I'm on the roof of the train!<br />
{{quote| '''Abed:''' I'm on the roof of the train!<br />
'''Duncan:''' Oh, great! Well... I'm teleporting there! Because I can do that! I'm a wizard! }}
'''Duncan:''' Oh, great! Well... I'm teleporting there! Because I can do that! I'm a wizard! }}
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